Summary

In 1992, the Libyan regime began to ease travel restrictions, allowing Khaled’s family to visit him in London for the first time since he moved to the UK nine years earlier. Khaled was very emotional to be reunited with his mother, father, and sister again after so long. They stayed in Khaled’s flat and all slept together in the same room, which Khaled found comforting. One day while his mother and sister were out, Khaled confessed the true story of the demonstration and the shooting to his father. His father demanded to see his injuries. At the sight of Khaled’s scars, he broke down in tears, saying, “You shouldn’t have, you shouldn’t have” (242) over and over. It was unclear to Khaled who these words were addressed to or what exactly he meant by them, whether he was saying Khaled should...